The present invention relates to characterization of contaminated waste disposal sites and, more particularly, to real time analysis and monitoring prior to and during remediation treatment, of hazardous and/or radioactive waste contaminant levels and treatment progress. As used herein, the term "site" is intended in its broadest sense to include, but not be limited to, open and closed landfills, spill sites and even closed storage containers. Contaminants present in such sites are wide ranging in both type and concentration levels varying from organic, chlorinated and inorganic compounds and precious metals and in some cases mixtures thereof with radioactive materials ranging from low to intermediate radioactivity levels.
Past methods of gathering soil characterization data generally involve examination of vaporized or solid contaminant samples during in situ drilling including analysis, at the surface, of gas samples taken from the drilling elevation. When desired, solid core samples are removed and often transported substantial distances from the site where they are encountered to a remote laboratory for analysis. Such vapors and solids are believed to frequently undergo chemical and physical changes during their removal to and exposure at the soil surface. Accordingly, an in situ analysis of the contaminants and data indicating their precise location and with monitoring of the progress of chemical and/or physical treatment directly at the subsurface elevation where the contaminants are encountered and where treatment is taking place is required so that appropriate modifications of the treatment chemistry can be immediately made during treatment for most efficient remediation.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide cost effective and efficient methods and systems for in situ real time analysis of hazardous and/or radioactive waste disposal sites and the simultaneous treatment thereof.
The invention involves placement of downhole probes which detect contaminants and monitor treatment progress and unique methods of subsurface working of contaminated soil with reduced motor torque loading as compared with the methods and apparatus known heretofore. Various types of probes, not critical to the broadest aspects of the invention are disclosed. The invention, in its broadest aspects, provides a method of identifying hazardous waste in a subsurface soil site comprising the steps of:
a) positioning contaminant sensing means proximate a sensing end of a nonrotatable drill casing having a first diameter;
b) boring a hole into the hazardous site using a rotary drill comprising a rotary kelly bar and a drilling section affixed to said kelly bar which creates a hole of a second diameter larger than said first diameter;
c) longitudinally inserting said sensing end of said non-rotatable casing and contaminant sensing means into said hole while boring said hole; and
d) using said contaminant sensing means to sense the presence and composition of soil contaminants encountered during said boring of said hole while logging the characteristics of said contaminants and the locations at which they were encountered.
The invention further provides a hazardous waste characterization system comprising:
a) a soil boring apparatus which includes:
1) a rotatable drilling section; PA1 2) a rotatable kelly bar having a first end affixed to said drilling section; PA1 3) a motor for rotating said kelly bar and said drilling section, said motor being drivingly attachable to said kelly bar proximate a second end thereof; and PA1 4) means for linearly moving said motor relative to a support therefor;
b) a non-rotatable casing surrounding said kelly bar and extending substantially the length thereof between said motor and said drilling section, said casing being affixed to and supported by said means for linearly moving said motor; and
c) means affixed to said casing for sensing hazardous waste contaminants proximate the drilling section and for transmitting information to a location proximate the second end of the kelly bar, said drilling section being sized to create a bore larger than the cross section of said casing.
The invention further provides a hazardous waste characterization and soil remediation system comprising:
a) a soil boring apparatus having a rotatable drilling section, a rotatable kelly bar having a first end affixed to said drilling section and motor means drivingly attachable to said kelly bar proximate a second end thereof for rotating said kelly bar and drilling section;
b) a non-rotatable casing surrounding said kelly bar and extending substantially the length thereof between said motor means and said drilling section, said casing being affixed to and supported by said means for rotating;
c) means for axially moving said motor means and said casing;
d) conduit means terminating in treatment agent injection ports proximate the elevation of said drilling section for conveying treatment agents from the earth surface to said injection ports;
e) means affixed to said casing for sensing hazardous waste contaminants proximate the drilling section and for transmitting information to a location proximate the second end of the kelly bar, said drilling section being sized to bore a hole larger than the cross section of said casing; and
f) means for automatically controlling the type and amount of remediation agents to be conveyed through said conduit to be injected into said waste proximate the elevation of said drilling section dependent upon the spectroscopic analysis of contaminants and treatment progress at the subsurface elevation.